Floor construction



ea, 4, 1928. m wss E. N. MURPHY FLOOR CONSTRUCTION qri gin'alFiled July 17, 1.924

1: 727167120 r; aereii M Ffl/Zy.

can

Patented Dec. 41, 312285.

EVERETT N. MURPHY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T STEVENS PARTITIQN 8:, FLOOR DEADENER 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLIEQIS, A CORPQRATIQN 0F IILLINOI$.

rLoon cons'rauorron.

Application filed July 17, 1924, Serial No. 726,472. RenewedMarch 26, 1928.

My invention relates to floor construction chairs will not be impaired by an improperly of buildings, and has reference more particaligned hold down. ularly to a known type of sound-proof floor In order to apprise those skilled in the art construction wherein the upper or finishing how to construct and practice my invention, 5 floor is laid upon a series of nailing strips 1 shall now describe an embodiment thereof that are seated in chairs, which in turn rest in'connection with the accompanying draw-- upon and are secured to the lower rough ings forming a part hereof.

floor, pads or cushions of felt or other fibrous In the drawingsor yielding material being interposed be- Figure 1 is a. fragmentary perspective view '10 tween the bottoms and sides ofthe nailing of a fire-proof floor construction embodying strips and the seats and sides ofthe chairs the present invention; I and forming the sound insulating elements Fig. 2 is a vertical sect-ion taken on line 85 of 'the structure. I 2-2 ofFig. 1; r

The present invention is an improvement Fig. 3 is a Vertical section taken at'right 15 over the type of floor construction disclosed angles to Fig.2; a

by me in U. S. Patent No. 1,302,57 8, granted Fig; dis a view similar to Fig. 2 but illuson May 6,1919. trating the invention as embodied in a In m'yprior disclosure I have provided a wooden or non-fire-proof floor construction, novel form of hold down for the nailing employing, however, substantially the same 20 strips whereby when there is a tendency for bonding or anchoring means, and,

the upper floor to-bue kle, or swell, as the Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the centering result of moisture, or the like, the chairs means employed herein. will retain the nailing strips in position Referring now to the.drawings in detail, through this hold down. This hold down and describing first Figsi 1, 2 and 3 which 26 was so illustrated as not to transmit vibrashow an embodiment of the invention in a tions between floors, nor to neutralize or imfire-proof floor. construction, 10 designates pair the inherent resiliency of the floor, nor the lower rough floor, of fire-proof material, 32 the vibration absorbing quality and c'apacitysuch as tiling set in and bonded by-con. of the fibrous insulation. crete.,mortar or cement and supported by so An object of this invention is to provide suitable means (not shown). 11 designates 'an improved type of hold down, which is the up er finishing floor that is nailed to exceedingly simple and cheaper than the the undbrlyingnailing strips 12, these latter former type, which is more convenient and being in .turn supported at intervals in involves less trouble .in its assembly, and chairs, eachof which in the'for-m hereinto whichis superior and more eflicient in use. I shown consists of a pair of general U-shape It will be hereinafter noted that less skill metal members -13 and 14, placed and seis required in placing the chair astride the cured'ba'cktd back, the upper member 13 lower edge of the nailing strip-and securing having an interior lining .or cushion 15 of it in position by the hold down disclosed felt, cattle hair, sea grass, or other likelito herein than vthe hold down disclosed in my brous or yielding material secured thereto by prior patent. No prior work is involved on wire fastenings 16, which lining or cushion the nailing strips, nor, is time required to embraces-and directly engages the bottom and lay off the places where the hold down ensides of the nailing strip 12, and the de gages the nailing strips, except that the appendent limbs of the lower member 14 ten 45 proximate centers, be ascertained. The use minating in feet 17 that are embedded in of special tools 'required in this work is slightly raised spots or mounds 18 of cone1imi nated,and under the present method of crete or cement formed on the upper surface we assembling the chairs by thehold downs, of the lower rough floor 10. The feet 17 of nothing more than a hammer need be used. the chairs may, if so desired, be formed with do The improved hold down is fool pro'of in slots or holes 19, as shown through which the that it is self centering, vi. e. will always wet concrete or cement flows and when dry, properly center itself,'so that the non-physistrongly unites the feet of the chairs to the cal rigid or solid contact between the floor and lower floor structure. Gasting metal or stamped one employed.

As previously mentioned, the seat or central portion 20 of the upper chair 13 and the central portion 21 of the lower chair 14 are placed back to back and suitably secured together. The central portions 20 and 21 are preferably fitted with a central aperture 22, through which suitable means may be employed for anchoring the upper floor 11 to the lower floor 10 through the nailing strips 12. This anchoring means in the present case is in the form of a nail 2-l-, which enters the aperture .22 from the under side and also the nailing strip 12, the nail 2 L going into the nailing strip 12 a predeterpiece chairs may obviously be mined distance, The particular type of nail employed is immaterial, but I desire, however, to employ a nail having its surface considerably roughened or cement coated, so that when the nail is driven into the nailing strip it will tightly grip the nailing strip and hold itself permanently therein.

The present invention is concerned mainly with this form of anchoring means for the upper floor 11, and also with a novel centering means used to insure accurate vertical alignment between the nail 24 and the aperture 22 in the chair, the purpose of which will be presently described. This centering means comprises a washer 25 having its center stamped or otherwise formed into an upwardly turned conical or tapering guiding portion 26, the apex of which is fitted with an aperture 27, and the opposite end with a marginal flange 28. The conical portion 26 is adapted to ride in the aperture 22. The nail passes through the aperture 27 of this conical portion 26, and the head of the nail may, if so desired, rest within the conical portion. It may be desiredthat the base of the conical portion 26, if not the flange 28 alone, be larger than the aperture 22, so that when the nail 24 is driven from the underside into the nailing strip 12, a portion only of the centering washer 25 will enter the aperture 22. It is apparent that these nails 24 may be quickly driven in place, the centering washer in each instance assuring proper vertical alignment of the nails 24: with respect to the aperture 22.

When the chairs are first applied to the nailing strips, or vice versa, and the nails 2i applied, the heads of these nails will bring the conical portions 26 of the washers 25 up into the apertures 22 until they con-' tact with the chairs. But the adjustment is such that when thestrips and the finishing floor are laid, the-insulating pad or cushion is compressed, permitting the nailing strips and their fastening nails 24 to sink slightly, but sufficiently to carry the: centering washers out of contact with the chairs at the apertures 22, so that there is then no rigid, solidor continuous fastening element or means between the upper and lower floors. Vibrations, and consequently sounds, are therefore not normally transmitted. Likewise, the resiliency of the floordue to the pad and chair supports is not affected. But, on the other hand, if the upper floor swells from moisture or' other causes and starts to arch, buckle, warp or otherwise rise from normal level position, the fastening nails arrest sueh movements practically at their inception, in an obvious manner. W hen the floors dry out again, the parts return to normal position with the heads of the nails and the centering. washers out of contact with the lower sides of the chair seats, thus restoring the sound and vibration insulating conditions.

In the application of the chairs to the nailing strips 12 in practice, the nailing strips are preferably turned bottom up..-

The chairs are also turned bottom up and positioned astride the then upper edge of the nailing strips which edge is the lower edge when the nailing strips are in position on the floor l0. lVashers 25 are then placed in the holes 22 with their conical tips 27 extending into or partway through the holes. The nails are preferably too large to pass freely through the aperturesv 27 of the washers 25 in order that their points are held in the conical portions 26 ready to be driven by the hammer into the nailing'strips. If

the pressure of the fingers of the workman does not at once center the'nails and washers with reference to the holes 22, the first blow on the nails will do so. Since the force required to drive the nail through the openings 27 of the washers will at once cause the conical portion of the washers to center themselves in the holes 22, the nails are both centered at the start and thereafterguided centrally while being driven into the nailing strips. This is all done automatically, without special care or attention, and with no tools. but the hammer.

Each chair isfastened in this way since it is much easier to do it than to employ wires as a temporary fastening, which later have to be cut and removed. as was common with the prior form of hold down constructionf This prior form was more laboriously applied and therefore was commonly used on every four or five chairs instead of on each. By this simple means each chair is secured in place and thus a more uniformly applied hold down is afforded. Another advantage resides in the easier handling of the nailing strips after the chairs are thus secured, inasmuch as the chairs are each definitely secured in position. It is merely necessary to turn the strip over whereas'if only part of the chairs is permanently cured in place, the others must be wired in place or they are liable to fall off or be displaced in turningthe strip over, and some are liable not be wired or wired only loosely and thus be displaced. Besides the labor of wiring is considerable and the wiring must be removed before the finishing floor is laid.

Between the upper and lower floors, a filling 30 of loose dry cinder-s or similar cellular material occupying the spaces between the nailingstrips may be used, if so desired. The nailing strips are preferably elevated above the water, gas and other pipes or conduits, indicated at 31, so as to clear the same and render the cutting of the strips unnecessary in order to lay the pipe and prevent noises.

In Fig. 4, I haveshown a similar embodiment of my invention so far as concerns the insulating bonding or anchoring feature, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, but as applied to a non-fire-proof orwooden floor construction of the general type. In these figures, the fire-proof structure of the lower floor 10 of Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, is replaced by a rough wooden floor structure 32 usually consisting'of a rough flooring laid on top of the usual joist 33, on whichthe feet 17 of'the chairs rest and are secured by suitable fastening means, such as nails 34 driven through the holes or slots 19. The nails 24 in this form, are preferably inserted through the chairs and nailing strips in the same manner, the centering means 25 being likewise employed in the same manner to assure perpendicular alignment of the nails with respect to the nail holes in the seats of thechairs. A cinder filling 30 is usually employed, and the nailing strips are raised above the pipes, conduits, etc., 31. In both forms, that is, of Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, and of Fig. 4 the upper floor is sure to push the nails 24 and washers 25 down, through the nailing strips, so that their lower ends plus the washers are free of the bottoms of the chairs when the nailing strips are in normal position. By this bonding or anchoring means, the nailing strips are prevented from raising to such an extent that the cinder-s are liable to work therebeneath and thusv prevent them from receding in normal position on the chairs when the floor dries out again.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the gist oi my invention, that others may,'by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under varying conditions of service,

" without eliminatingv certain features which may be" properly said to constitute'the essential items of novelty involved, which itemsare intended to be defined and secured to me by the following claims:

-What I-claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a building floor construction. the combination, with upper and lower floors and sound insulating means for supporting the upper floor on the lower floor, of means for anchoring said upper floor to said lower floor, said anchoring means being the only non-cushioned connection and including connected elements normally out of physi'al combination, with upper and lower floors.-

and a nailing strip forsaid upper floor, of sound-insulating means for supporting said upper floor and nailing strip on said lower floor, and means for anchoring said nailing strip to said lower floor, said anchoring means being the only non-cushioned connection and including connected elements normallyout of physical contact with each other under the load effect of the upper floor, which elements may be drawn into physical contact to positively limit the maximum permissible rise of said nailing strip, and means for maintaining said elements in perpendicular alignment with each other during their assembly with said nailing strip.

3. In a building floor construction, the combination, with a lower floor, chairs secured to said lower floor, pads or cushions in said chairs, a nailing stripseated in said pads or cushions, and an upper floor nailed to said nailing strip, of means for anchoring said nailing strip to said chairs comprising a nail driven partway into said nailingstrip and projecting through an opening in said chair of sufficient size to afford clearance of 'said fastening member in said opening. said nail constituting the only non-cushioned connection and being normally maintained out of physical contact with said chair by reason of the weight of the upper floor, and means forcentering said nail with respect to said opening when said nail is driven into said nailing'strip.

4. In a building floor construction, the combination, witha lower floor, chairs secured to said lower floor, pads or cushions in said chairs, a nailing strip seated in said pads or'cushions, and an upper floor nailed to said nailing strip, of downwardly extend.- ing rigid means on said nailing strip passing through openings in said chairs, and aper-.

tured centering members through which said means pass and by which they are -guided when inserted through said openings and intosaid nailing strip.

5. In a building floor construction, the combination with nailing strips for the upper floor, of cushioned chairs or supports for the nailing strips. and means for anchoring the nailing strips to the chairs or supper central. ta pered portion. passing ough an opening in. the seat of the chair or support and a nail driven through. the tapered portion of the comprising a washer having t...

Washer and into the nailing strip, said.

comprising a Washer having a central aperture and'a portion extending into an npening in the seat of the chair or support, said washer being larger than the said opening and a nail passing through said aperture in the washer and driven into the nailing strip.

7. In a building floor construction, the combination with a lower floor, chairs secured to said lower floor, cushioning means for said. chairs, a nailing strip, and an upper floor nailed to said nailing strip, of means for anchoring said nailing strip to said chairs comprising a nail driven partway into said nailing 'strip and projecting through an opening in said chair of suilicient size to afford clearance of said nail in said opening, and means for centering said nail with re for anchoring; said upper floor to said lower floor, said anchoring means lacing the only non-cushioned connection and including connected elements normally out of physical f contact with each other, and means function,- ing" to hold the connected elements of said anchoring means in proper alignment.

9. In a huilding floor construction, the combination-With an upper and a lower floor.

means for securing said upper floor to said,

lower floor in soundproof relation comprislng spaced metallic elements having oppo- "sitedly extending feet adapted to be secured to said lower'floor and DI'OVISlOIIS for receiv-.

ing the nailing strips of said upper floor in cluding members "rigidly driven through said elements into said nailing strips in the assembly of said. elements to said nailing strips, and sound proofing material interposed to separate physical contact ofthe solids of said elements and their parts between said floors. v

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name,

EVERETT N. MURPHY. 

